Las Vegas-based casino group Harrah’s Entertainment has agreed a deal with Slovenian casino operator Hit Group to develop a large-scale gaming resort in Nova Gorica, a city on the border between Slovenia and Italy.
Through a joint venture, Harrah’s and Hit will invest US$700m (£406m, 595m euro) to create a 800-1,200-room hotel, a 50,000sq ft (4,645sq m) casino, 50,000sq ft of convention space, a 3,000-seat theatre, a spa and retail, restaurant, bar and nightclub facilities.
“The unique nature of the luxury casino resort experience represents a perfect fit for the fast-growing Slovenian gaming and tourism market,” said Gary Loveman, chair, chief executive and president of Harrah’s.
“Nova Gorica is the right place and this is precisely the right time.”
The company has also announced plans to create a 1,000-acre beachfront resort and Caesar’s-banded casino in the Bahamas with Starwood Hotels and is currently bidding for the right to develop the Marina Bay site in Singapore.
Earlier this year Harrah’s wound up a £530m (US$1bn, 753m euro) deal with UK gaming group Gala following the British government’s decision to limit the number of supercasinos which will be allowed under the new gaming regulations.
Hit Group currently operates eight casinos in Slovenia.
